Indiana's backyard birds are back. Here's how to keep feeders clean

It’s officially spring, and songbirds will soon be flocking to feeders in Indiana. Blue jays, grackles and red-winged blackbirds are some of the most common backyard birds in March and will congregate at feeders in a way that’s unusual in the wild.

To keep the feathered feeders happy and healthy, it’s good to maintain a clean feeder.

So as Hoosiers stock up on bird seeds, here are some tips on how to keep those feeders clean.

How to clean a bird feeder

Clear out any left-over feed from the feeder and fill a container with dish soap and water but skip the soap if it’s a hummingbird feeder.

Give the feeder a good scrub with the soapy water and rinse it off.

In a separate container, the National Audubon Society recommends creating a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar to soak the feeder. This helps sanitize the feeder.

Indiana’s DNR suggest soaking in a 10% bleach solution, but either method will work.

Give it a final rinse to remove any residues.

When to clean bird feeders

Fungus and bacteria aren’t always visible to the naked eye, and the growth can happen inside the seed of a shell.

Audubon suggests cleaning out a feeder every other week for seed and suet feeders. If it’s particularly hot and humid, it might be good to clean them more frequently.

Hummingbird feeders require more attention since the sugars are ideal for bacteria growth. Clean these feeders every few days, or even more frequently during that hot and humid weather.

Where to set bird feeders outside

Pick a spot in direct sunlight so moisture build up isn’t an issue. Make sure you don’t place a bird bath directly under the feeder to help keep it clean.

Audubon recommends keeping feeders either at least 30 feet away from any windows or very close to them. In between these distances can cause problems as the birds will see the reflections and get confused, sometimes striking at the reflections and dying.

There are window treatments that can help prevent these collisions.

Birdwatching: Have you spotted any of these birds yet? These are the 10 most common for March

Extra tip for bird baths

Replace the water in baths frequently to prevent mosquitoes, algae and bacteria.

Scrub the bath with a vinegar solution periodically and rinse it out afterward.

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Wash your bird feeders regularly with these tips